Middle Tennessee Representative Says He’ll Stay In Office After Misconduct Allegations

The Middle Tennessee lawmaker accused of sexually abusing girls he coached in the 1980s says he’ll stay in the state legislature.

State Rep. David Byrd, R-Waynesboro, issued the statement a day after three women told Nashville TV station WSMV that he kissed, groped or propositioned them when they were in their teens.

In the statement, Byrd says “one must question the motives” of the three women. He notes that none of them reported their claims to authorities, but he says he’s sorry “if he hurt or emotionally upset” any student.

Two of the women claim Byrd touched them on their breasts and below the waist back in 1985, his first year as head coach of the girls’ basketball team at Wayne County High School. A third woman says he asked her for sexual contact but she ran away. Much of the behavior is alleged to have happened on team trips.

Those accusations were enough to prompt House Speaker Beth Harwell to call for his immediate resignation. If Byrd were to do so, he would be the third lawmaker since 2016 to step down over sexual misconduct accusations.

Byrd says he’s disappointed Harwell ”turned her back on him so quickly,” but he plans to continue to represent his district in the southwest corner of Middle Tennessee.

He does not say whether he’ll seek reelection.

His complete statement follows:

First, let me say that I have done nothing wrong or inappropriate during my term as state representative for the 71^st District, which I proudly serve. I am disappointed that Speaker Harwell so quickly publicly turned her back on me but understand her political posture.

Second, these recent allegations of inappropriate contact, never before made, date back over three decades ago and are disheartening to me, and my family. One must question the motives of these three former students out of the hundreds of students I have coached.

Conduct over 30 years ago is difficult, at best, to recall, but as a Christian, I have said and I will repeat that if I hurt or emotionally upset any of my students I am truly sorry and apologize.

I do not condone sexually inappropriate behavior and hope that my behavior over the last 30 years bears that out. I ran for office, not for opportunity for myself but for the opportunity to help others and provide a service to this district. I understand that my stances on some issues in the House are controversial and I knew that I would have opponents who would seek to embellish my character.

Currently, I am working hard for the people of this district and I seek to live in a way that reflects my Biblical beliefs. One of these beliefs rests on the premise that we are all God’s children and should be free from abuse of any kind. I do not believe either of these ladies can show that they made a report to the authorities or received any subsequent mental health counseling for what they have alleged but, again, if my acts or omissions cause them distress I am truly sorry.

I have a wonderful wife and 4 children and regret my desire to represent the good people of this district may have caused them the pain these allegations have brought about.

However, I feel I am a man of integrity, faith in God and family and can continue to be the kind of representative the people of the 71^st District can trust.

I will have nothing further to say on the matter, and I hope to get back to the business of representing the good people of Hardin, Wayne, Lewis and Lawrence Counties.